The job became his Goliath

Published: Sunday, June 23, 2013 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, June 19, 2013 at 7:56 p.m.

“These are notes about the old church building. I won’t finish. It makes me tired. I meant to write it out in full, but this will be it.” GV

This story is about the original Presbyterian Church building that stood on the corner of Grove Street and Anderson Avenue (present-day Seventh Avenue). This is about the building itself (50 feet by 75 feet).

The story begins in 1859.

It is written in notes given to me by my neighbor, Grady J. Vaughn, who will turn 100 on Sept. 15.

History says a group of war volunteers worshipped in the new building before going off to war. Some came back; some didn’t.

The Presbyterians used the church for about 50 years. It then became East Hendersonville Baptist, and then Wesleyan Methodist Church. After serving three churches for more than 100 years, it became time to dismantle the building and remove the pieces from the lot where it had been relocated.

“The year was 1960. I began work in my spare time. It took a year, but I finally got it done.

“I had first heard how the building was moved down Seventh Avenue, across the railroad tracks, to Seventh Avenue and Cherry Street. Mr. U.M. Orr was the engineer and foreman. It was thanks to Mr. Orr that the old church was placed where I first got acquainted with it.

“Fully equipped with pews, the church building (when new) cost $2,000.

“I paid about $100 for it and moved it off the lot.

“My memories of demolition are very vivid. There was much hard work — no power tools were used. I had a 30-inch crowbar, a hammer, and as much physical strength as I could pull together. The job I faced became my ‘Goliath,’ and I became David. I can’t believe I did it. It was a dangerous operation at best. But I felt I must try.

“I went to work. I worked slowly and did not bruise the lumber. I treated it like it was treated when first built — cut right and put together carefully.

“The size of the lumber was an odd size. Therefore it would not join up with modern cuts of lumber. The sills were 12 inches to 14 inches square. The side walls were 3 inches square and fitted into the sills in mortis joints in a very substantial way — but unusable today.

“It was interesting to see how different carpentry was back then. I sure learned a lot. I lost so much in labor, and it was my labor. The lumber I got was practically a total loss.

“Toward the end of the year, however, the job became a labor of love. I would stop from time to time and imagine I could hear shouts of joy, songs of praise and Hallelujahs ring out among the ruins of a building that, for over a century, had sung out from its rafters.

“I accumulated a bucket full of nails which had been used very sparingly. I believe that they were made at the foundry at Mills River. There were other pieces of iron used for braces.

“The records in the archives of the First Presbyterian Church on Seventh Avenue and Grove Street must surely record the beginning of the local organization of Presbyterians in Henderson County. I do not intend to go into that. But I do have a good word for the faith they showed in beginning the church in our area.

“As I was working on taking the building down, I admired the way the material was joined together. As the walls were covered in plaster, it was necessary for me to use strength and ax to get to the frame. It was hard to believe the great faith that a small group of people had at the time of construction. With war just on the horizon, provision was built into the structure for a time when they could expand the building. “Framing was added in the side wall facing west to allow for future additions to the church.

“The expansion never developed with the original building, but 40 or 50 years later it did happen. Only they built a completely new building. “Today, an edifice stands where the old began. Same organization. Different people. The same faith.

“I stood in my dream as night began to take over and saw my adversary, Goliath. I reached for the stone, and with one Hallelujah, the victory was won.”

<p>“These are notes about the old church building. I won't finish. It makes me tired. I meant to write it out in full, but this will be it.” GV</p><p>This story is about the original Presbyterian Church building that stood on the corner of Grove Street and Anderson Avenue (present-day Seventh Avenue). This is about the building itself (50 feet by 75 feet).</p><p>The story begins in 1859.</p><p>It is written in notes given to me by my neighbor, Grady J. Vaughn, who will turn 100 on Sept. 15.</p><p>History says a group of war volunteers worshipped in the new building before going off to war. Some came back; some didn't.</p><p>The Presbyterians used the church for about 50 years. It then became East Hendersonville Baptist, and then Wesleyan Methodist Church. After serving three churches for more than 100 years, it became time to dismantle the building and remove the pieces from the lot where it had been relocated.</p><p>“The year was 1960. I began work in my spare time. It took a year, but I finally got it done.</p><p>“I had first heard how the building was moved down Seventh Avenue, across the railroad tracks, to Seventh Avenue and Cherry Street. Mr. U.M. Orr was the engineer and foreman. It was thanks to Mr. Orr that the old church was placed where I first got acquainted with it.</p><p>“Fully equipped with pews, the church building (when new) cost $2,000.</p><p>“I paid about $100 for it and moved it off the lot.</p><p>“My memories of demolition are very vivid. There was much hard work — no power tools were used. I had a 30-inch crowbar, a hammer, and as much physical strength as I could pull together. The job I faced became my 'Goliath,' and I became David. I can't believe I did it. It was a dangerous operation at best. But I felt I must try.</p><p>“I went to work. I worked slowly and did not bruise the lumber. I treated it like it was treated when first built — cut right and put together carefully.</p><p>“The size of the lumber was an odd size. Therefore it would not join up with modern cuts of lumber. The sills were 12 inches to 14 inches square. The side walls were 3 inches square and fitted into the sills in mortis joints in a very substantial way — but unusable today.</p><p>“It was interesting to see how different carpentry was back then. I sure learned a lot. I lost so much in labor, and it was my labor. The lumber I got was practically a total loss.</p><p>“Toward the end of the year, however, the job became a labor of love. I would stop from time to time and imagine I could hear shouts of joy, songs of praise and Hallelujahs ring out among the ruins of a building that, for over a century, had sung out from its rafters.</p><p>“I accumulated a bucket full of nails which had been used very sparingly. I believe that they were made at the foundry at Mills River. There were other pieces of iron used for braces.</p><p>“The records in the archives of the First Presbyterian Church on Seventh Avenue and Grove Street must surely record the beginning of the local organization of Presbyterians in Henderson County. I do not intend to go into that. But I do have a good word for the faith they showed in beginning the church in our area.</p><p>“As I was working on taking the building down, I admired the way the material was joined together. As the walls were covered in plaster, it was necessary for me to use strength and ax to get to the frame. It was hard to believe the great faith that a small group of people had at the time of construction. With war just on the horizon, provision was built into the structure for a time when they could expand the building. “Framing was added in the side wall facing west to allow for future additions to the church.</p><p>“The expansion never developed with the original building, but 40 or 50 years later it did happen. Only they built a completely new building. “Today, an edifice stands where the old began. Same organization. Different people. The same faith.</p><p>“I stood in my dream as night began to take over and saw my adversary, Goliath. I reached for the stone, and with one Hallelujah, the victory was won.”</p>